Overseas universities to woo local students
REPRESENTATIVES from more than 30 international universities and colleges will converge in Jamaica later this month to woo local students.
The occasion is the second annual Eduventures international education fair, which is to be held between October 24 and 27. The representatives will be at the Hilton Kingston Hotel in the capital on October 24 and 25, and at the Holiday Inn Resort in Montego Bay on October 26 and 27.
Speaking at the launch on Wednesday, Eduventures Jamaica president Aldain Reid said they expected an improvement in this year’s staging over last year’s.
The improvement, he noted, will come in the way of an increase in the number of participating institutions and an enhanced quality of their support service offerings, such as financing and student loans.
“We have been able to get two private high schools that will take students from the grade nine level,” he said.
Deputy Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Blair Bobyk, in endorsing the event, said he could attest to the value of an international education. He, however, made special note of Canada.
“Degrees and diplomas in technical and professional disciplines from Canadian institutions are widely recognised around the world.” Bobyk said. “We have one of the highest per capita spending rates on education in the world, moreover, the tuition at Canadian universities are quite competitively priced,” he added.
He said that there were currently 153,000 foreign students studying in Canada, excluding those pursuing higher education in foreign languages. Some 15 institutions from Canada are expected at the fair.
Suzette Smellie-Tomlinson, a representative of the National Commercial Bank (NCB), a major sponsor of the fair, said the bank’s involvement could be seen as a continuation of its support for the education sector in Jamaica.
She added that NCB has been supporting education through its KeyCard product, with one per cent of purchases made with a KeyCard going to the company’s Jamaica Education Initiative (JEI). The JEI funds scholarships to university students and teachers, as well as equipment for educational institutions.
Luckresha Ramsamugh-Baker, the education manager at the British Council, for her part, said its booth set up last year was very successful.
“Education UK is opening the eyes of many students to other possibilities that are outside of Jamaica,” she said.
Meanwhile, also on offer at the fair will be planned information sessions to facilitate discussion on relevant issues pertaining to undergraduate and postgraduate admission requirements. The sessions are also to help students access information on scholarship opportunities, international student loans, and distance learning for adults seeking to upgrade their qualifications.
The inaugural event held last October attracted 4,000 students, parents, teachers and other interested persons. More than 60 high schools from across the island have been invited to attend this year’s fair.